Bag hemming and string-feeding device



Feb. l29, 1944. R. D'L PRoPHET BAG HEMMING A ND STRING-FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1.942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 TIILV.

Feb. 29, 1944. R. D. PRoPHET BAG HEMMING AND STRING-FEEDING DEVICE Filed NQv. 20, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 29, 1944. 'R D. PROPHET 2,343,025

BAG HEMMING AND STRING-FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheetv 3 f gmc/M0@ @Ma/w l www Patented Feb. 29, 1944 BAG HEMMING AND STRING-FEEDING DEVICE icliard D. Prophet, Houston, Tex., assigner of one-half to Standard Bag Company, Houston,

Tex., a corporation of Texas Application November 20, 1942, Serial No. 466,315

reference is to be had to the following description 4. claims.

This invention relates to a string feed mechanism especially adapted for laying string into a hem of fabric employed in the making of cloth bags, so that. each bag constructed from the hemmed fabric will be provided with one or more tying strings and/or draw strings for the closing of the bag.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the above stated character which operates in conjunction with a cloth folder or hemmer on a sewing machine and which is operated in timed relation with the' cloth feeding mechanism of said sewing machine so that a surplus amount of string will be laid in' or arranged in the hem of the fabric whereby, on the cutting of said fabric into pieces of selected lengths for the making of bags, each piece of fabric will have secured in the hem thereof one or more strings of suiiicient length to permit convenient tying of the ends ofthe string to close the mouth of the bag.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the above stated character which will successfully lay in a surplus arrlount of string within the hem of the fabric employed in the making of bags, and Which string laid in the hem may be suitably varied in length as desired through the adjustment of the device.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a device of this character which will permit these operations to be rapidly carried out and thus afford large savings in time inthe construction of finished' bags of the type heretofore requiring time-consuming manual labor in the threading `of the string through the hem after the making of the hem in the fabric.

Another object of this invention is the provision of improved structure for carrying out the the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of Inv-invention.-

and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view illustrating a string feed mechanism mounted on a fragmentary portion of a sewing machine, showing the same in combination with a hemmer on said sewing machine, and operated by the cloth feed mechanism of the sewing machine, the latter being indicated in part by dotted lines. w

Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the apparatus according to the invention mounted on a fragmentary portion of a sewing machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view, partly in section, showing the present invention in combination with a hemmer.

Fig. 4 is an edge elevation illustrating the dev1ce.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5/-5 of Figure 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View taken onV the line 6 6 of Fig. 3; k

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section showing the hemmed fabric with a tying string laid therein.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the hem of the fabric and the tying string. y

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the operating means for the cloth feed mechanism of the machine, and showing the connection of the present invention thereto.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view showing a modification of the present inventionv wherein a plurality of strings are fed into the hem by the device. f

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section of the hemmed fabric with thev double strings arranged within the hem.

Referring in detail to the drawings. the numeral 5 indicates a fragmentary portion of ase'wing machine used in thel sewing of fabric employed in the making oflfabric bags. Such bags may be used for many purposes such as mailing bags,` bags for containing articles of merchandise for sale, andthe like. The sewing'- machine forms no part of the present invention and only a portion thereof is shown in thev drawings for the purpose of illustrating the application of the' vention thereto. l g

The cloth feed mechanism of the l'sewirfgmapresent inchineY is indicated generallyvby" the character 6 and", as" well known in this art; is forthepurposel of feeding' the cloth relative' totheneed-le' and presser fcot of the sewing' machine. The' cloth feed mechanism has an operati-ng'niefchanism in'-I -dicated generally by the character-'1, oneV portion of which has a rocking motion and this portion is indicated by the character 8. The primary purpose of the portion 8 is to reciprocate the cloth feed plate and for this purpose has attached thereto a bracket 9. Bracket 9 extends above the bed plate of the sewing machine as shown, and has connected thereto a rod I which rocks back and forth with the portion 8 of the mechanism 7. A pitman or connecting rod II is provided at one end with a fitting I2 for pivotally and adjustably connecting the pitman rod on the rod I0.

Fitting I2 has a vertical slot milled therein within which is secured one end of rod I I This may be done by any convenient means; for example, a brass ring or eyelet may be brazed onto the end of rod I I, and this eyelet may be held in place by a pin or screw extending through fitting I 2.

Fitting I2 also has a hole permitting it to be carried by rod I0, and a set screw whose axis intersects the axis of this hole (and of rod I0) is provided to secure the fitting I2 at any desired location along rod I9. By adjusting the fitting I2 upwardly or downwardly on the rod I0 the length of the stroke of the pitman or connecting rod II may be increased or decreased as desired.

The other end of the pitrnan also carries an eyelet I3 which may be in the form of a brass ring brazed onto the rod.

Eyelet I3 is pivotally carried by fitting I 4 which in turn is carried on rod I 6. Fitting I 4 is provided with a set screw which permits adjusting the point of mechanical attachment between pitman I I and rod I 6.

Rod I6 is supported for reciprocal movement in the desired manner, and for purposes to be described, by the opposite ends of guide yoke D, the latter conveniently taking the form generally of an inverted U. Yoke 50 may be supported in any desired manner. For example, it may be attached directly to the head of the sewing machine or, alternatively, it may be attached thereto by suitable brackets. The latter method is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 2, wherein angle bracket 52 is shown as attached to the sewing ma- -chine head and to the guide yoke 50 near the central portion thereof. If desired, guide yoke 5i) may be provided with a slot 5I extending along the base portion of the inverted U, thus permitting adjustment of the yoke longitudinally of the axisof the rod IB.

A hemmer or cloth folding device I 'I is detachably secured on a bracket I8, the latter being adjustably secured on the bed plate of the sewing machine by a set screw I9 threaded in the Y bed plate and passing through a slot 20 in said bracket. .The hemmer I 'I is supported by the bracket over the bed plate in front of the presser foot and needle of the sewing machine and also in front of the cloth feed mechanism 6 of said sewing machine. The purpose and arrangement of the hemmer is such that when cloth to be hemmed by the sewing machine is fed thereto, the cloth first passes through the hemmer which folds one edge of the cloth upon itself so that the folded cloth will be stitched into a hem by the needle, presser foot and cloth feeding mechanism of the sewing machine.

In the making of cloth bags of the character heretofore mentioned, it is the practice to hem a strip of cloth many yards in length and thereafter to cut the strip of hemmed cloth into any number of pieces of desired length so that a bag of predetermined size may be made from each Vdescribed and the remaining portion of which will now be described, operating in conjunction with the hemmer and other portions of the sewing machine, the tying cord or string will be laid into the hem as the latterl is formed in the strip of fabric, a surplus amount of string being laid into the hem in such manner and amount that when the fabric is cut into pieces to make the bags, sufficient string will be contained in the hem of each piece to provide a string of ample length for the closing of the bag.

The apparatus of the present invention, being timed with the cloth feed mechanism and operating in conjunction with the hemmer, will lay into the hem a selected amount of string as fast as the strip of fabric is hemmed by the sewing machine.

The hemmer I'I includes in its construction a plate 2I which has a portion (the upper portion, as viewed in Fig. 3) bent upon itself to form a substantially conical shaped throat 22 through which the cloth passes on its way to the presser foot and needle of the machine to bring about the desired folding of one edge of the cloth upon itself.

The plate 2l may be further bent to form the attaching portion 23 which is secured onto the bracket I8. Alternatively, 23 may be a separate plate suitably bent and attached, such as by brazing, to plate 2 I. Other attaching or securing means for plate 2I may be provided, if desired.

Plate 2| has attached thereto a string guide 28 in such a manner that a portion thereof is supported centrally of the throat 22 of the hemmer in spaced relation to the walls of the throat, and with one end projecting a limited distance beyond the restricted end of the throat for the discharge of the string from the guide. The string guide is preferably in the form of a narrow and deep channel, as shown most clearly in Figs. 6 and. 10.

The string is indicated by the character 21 and is received from a suitable supply (not shown) from which it passes into the string guide at one end thereof and is fed from the other end by a feed mechanism about to be described.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, one side of the string guide is extended laterally as at 25 to provide a supporting plate for part of the string feed mechanism. A spring rod 28 is mounted on the supporting plate 25 by any suitable means, such as by soldering or brazing. VRod 28* extends into the string guide and terminates at or near the discharge end of the guide in the form 0f a sharpened laterally-bent portion 29 which is adapted normally to hold the string more or Vless tightly against the bottom of the channel of the string guide, i. e., against the top of string guide 26 as this is viewed in Fig. 3. Rod 28 may therefore for convenience be designated as a string holding dog.

A string feed dog 32 in the form of a spring rod having one end fixed in and/or carried by the tting 54 and its other end angularly disposed and sharpened, as shown at 33, is provided `toen-- assenze I3 kgage kthe string for feeding: same through. thev string/guide and toward the discharge end of the string guide by the reciprocating; movement of the feed dog 3,2. asitiscarriedg by fitting .543.

shownntting 5 4, is boredl to accommodate rod I6. upon which it. is carried in ada'ustable po.- sition. When the tting; 54 has been disposed, in desired position upon rod, I6, it may beheld in place by means. of set` screw 56.. The reciprocating movement of the rod I6 in guide yoke 5.0 serves. toimpart the. desired reciprocating motion to fitting 54, and thence to feed dog 32 with respect to the string guide:v 26,1

The movement. of feed dog; 32i the; direction of feeding the string outwardly of; the discharge end of the string; guide (i. e.` to the left asr shown in Fig. 5) brings into. iorcible contact with rod 2:8 and; flexes the. latter downwardly to. free said rod from the string, s thatsaidstring may-more outwardly of the discharge end of the string guide, the length of string thus pushed outwardly from the string guideinto the hem of the fabric being greater than the stroke of the feed doe' 32 by an amount whichA is readily capable of adjust.- ment in the manner already described.

By movement of the feed dog 32 in a reverse direction (i. e.,A to the right asl shown in Fig. 5,), it becomes disengaged` from rod 28 whereupon the latter springs` back into engagement with the string, gripping theY .Same to prevent a reverse movementl of the string by the feed dog 32 as the latter moves in said reverse direction.

It will be seen from the foregoingY description, when taken in connection with the-drawings, that the string 21.- will be fed. through the string guide with a step by step movement; the string leaving the discharge end of the guide in a crimped or sinuous form due to the retarding action of the holding rod 28 on the string except when said rod 28 is depressed out of contact with the string by the action of rod 32 at or near the end of its stroke to the left (i. e., the left as viewed in Fig. It will be seen further that, in order to impart this crimped or sinuous form to the string,

the holding rod 28 engages and holds the stringv in the channel-shaped string guide during a portion of the stroke of the feed dog 32 toward the discharge end of the string guide, and that upon the feed dog releasing the holding rod 28 from engagement with the string, the latter on leaving the guide will be in the desired crimped or sinuous form.

Further, it will be seen that by adjusting the fitting I2 up or down to any desired point on the rod I0 the stroke of the pitman or connecting rod I I can be varied in length, consequently varying the stroke or length of movement of the feed dog 32 and thereby permitting the amount ofA string ejected from the guide during each stroke of the feed dog to be varied as desired.

Moreover, by adjusting the relative positions of ttings I5 and 54 on rod I6 the position of the feed dog 32 with respect to string guide 26 may be quickly and conveniently changed as desired.

Yoke 50 also provides a sturdy and positive support for the reciprocating rod I6. When slotted as shown at 5I, yoke 5I) also readily permits of adjustment of its position with respect to the string guide and hemmer.

The string feed mechanism of the present invention operates in timed relation with the cloth feed mechanism 6 of the sewing machine so that, as the cloth is advanced during the hemming thereof, the string will be injected into the hem of the; cloth. lengths: sutlicient for hagetying purposes as said hem is formed and; stitchedA It is preferable that the string; guide, orA at least the portionl thereof. exten. .e into the conical shaped throat, of, the` hemmer.. be. substanti lly channel shaped incross section. Alternative it may be made rectangular or box-like incross sec,- tion, such as. by making; one side of the channel somewhat longer than the other and then bending ther longer side at, right angles until it meets-the shorter side. Substantially the same effect. might be achieved by lorazingL or weld-ingr a strip over the ends of the side walls. of the channeh i. e., along the left side of the ehannelied string guide 26 as it is viewed in Figs. 6 and 10.

When itis desired to pass two or more. strings into ahem as the latter isformed in the. fabric, it is only necessary to increase the size of the string guide tol accommodate said strings and/or to,v increase the width of the holding and feeding dogs, asl shown forv purposes ot illustration in Fig. 10.

Fig. 1.1 clearly shows the laying of, double strings into. the. hem ofv the fabric,I with each string crimped or formed into more or less sinuous shape. This method of operation provides the necessary length of string in the hem Sullicient, when the hemmed fabric is thereafter out to form a bag, to permit the portions of the string extending beyondthe hem of the fabric. t0 be tied together to form draw strings for the mouth of the bag'.

By referring to Fig. 6, it will be noted that vthe hemmer |'I is really constructed from two. plates secured together, one being,A the. attaching, plate 23 and the otherthe plate 26, the, latternbeing bent upon itself to form the substantially conicalshaped throat, the receiving end of the throat being shown in Fig. 5 with the string guide located therein. Fig. 6 also shows the cloth (shown in dotted lines and indicated by reference numeral 60) being folded by the hemmer, with the cloth passing over the plate 2| and through the conical-shaped throat and under the plate 23. The plates 2| and 23 may be welded or otherwise secured together in the construction of the hemmer.

I1' desired, however, plate 23 may be omitted and other means of attachment provided to secure plate 2| containing the hemmer to the bed or table of the sewing machine. For instance, plate 2| might lbe brazed or Welded lto said bed or table, although this might sacrifice some of the features of adjustability thereof. Plate 2| might be suitably drilled and countersunk and attached to the bed of the sewing machine, or to tapped bosses located thereon, by means of fiat headed screws (or rivets) the tops of which thereby t ush with the upper surface of plate 2|.

The foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings, fully sets forth the construction and advantages of this invention to those skilled in the art to which such a device relates, and further detailed description is not required. Since the foregoing description is by way of illustration, changes, omissions, additions, substitutions and/or modications may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a sewing machine having a hemmer provided with a substantially conical shaped throat, a channeled string guide extending through the throat and adapted to receive string `from a supply, a'f'eed dog operating in the string guide to feed the string to and through said string guide, and means for reciprocating said feed dog in said string guide; the improvement which comprises an endwise movable operating rod, means for attaching said feed dog to said operating rod, connecting means attached to said reciprocating means and attached to said operating rod, for imparting reciprocating mction to said operating rod, and a guide yoke for supporting said operating rod and providing a bearing on opposite sides of the point of attachment to said operating rod of said connecting means, said operating rod being slidable in said guide yoke.

2. In a sewing machine provided with a hemmer having a substantially conical shaped throat, a channeled string guide extending through the throat and adapted to receive string from a supply, a feed dog operating in the string guide to feed string to and through said string guide, and means for reciprocating said feed dog; the improvement which comprises an endwise movable operating rod means for attaching said feed dog to said operating rod, connecting means attached to said reciprocating means and attached to said operating rod for imparting reciprocating movement to said rod, means for slidably supporting said reciprocating rod at at least two points on said operating rod, at least one of said points of sliding support being between the places of attachment to said rod of said feed dog and said connecting means and means for attaching said supporting means to said sewing machine.

3. lIn a sewing machine having a hemmer provided with' a substantially conical shaped throat, a channeled string guide extending through the throat and adapted to receive string from a supply, a feed dog operating in the string guide to feed the string to and through said string guide, and means for reciprocating said feed dog in said string guide; the improvement which comprises an endwise movable operating rod, means for attaching said feed dog to said operating rod,

connecting means attached to said reciprocating means and attached to said operating rod for imparting reciprocating motion to said operating rod, means for varying the stroke imparted to the operating rod by said connecting means, one of said attachments between the operating rod and the feed dog and the connecting means being adjustable lengthwise along said rod, and a bearing for supporting said operating rod for reciprocating endwisemovement.

4. In a sewing machine having a hemmer provided with a substantially conical shaped throat, a channeled string guide extending through the throat and adapted to receive string from a supply, a feed dog operating in the string guide to engage the string, means for reciprocating said feed dog in said string g-uide to measure off predetermined lengths of the string and force it along through said string guide, and a. spring rod having its free end extending into said string guide and having a slight single curve at its free end terminating'in a point which bears upon the string to hold the string against rearward movement during the return motion of the feed dog.

RICHARD D. PROPHET. 

